Spark pumps



R. C. SMITH SPARK PUMPS May 25, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 28, 1963 INVENTOR. RALPH 6. SMITH AGENT R. c. SMITH 3,185,106

SPARK PUMPS 2 Sheets-Sher. 2

May 25, 1965 Filed Aug. 28, 1965 QF=$MQIA INVEN'QTOR. RALPH 6. SMITH BY 2 AGENT FIG. 3

United States Patent 3,185,106 SPARK PUB/IFS Ralph C. Smith, Brooklyn, NIL, assignor to Ingersoli- Rand Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 365,041 13 Claims. (Cl. 103-255) This invention relates generally to pumps and more particularly to pumps wherein electrical energy is converted directly to pressure fluid delivery.

While the general concept of pressurizing fluid as is embodied in this invention, in itself is not new, utilizing electrical energy in the manner to be described to provide pressure fluid delivery is a new approach to providing very high pressure fluid source means.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a novel pump having no moving parts other than flow control portions thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide the aforementioned pump wherein an electrical charge forms the pressurizing or pumping means.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a fluid pump having relatively no moving parts; and which is ruggedly constructed and is relatively economical to manufacture. 7

And another object of this invention is to provide a pump utilizing an electrical charge for depriving pressure fluid delivery.

This invention contemplates a pump comprising a housing defining a pump chamber provided with an inlet adapted to receive fluid to be pumped and an outlet for pumped liquid, a pair of electrodes supported by the housing having tips in spaced relation to one another within the chamber for forming a gap to he jumped by a spark to expand fluid in the chamber for pumping, the electrodes being adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy to derive a spark across the formed gap, and check valve means in the housing biased to normally close the inlet and outlet, the check valve means being responsive to the reaction of a spark for opening the outlet to pass pumped fluid and to pressure differential between the inlet and the pump chamber after such pumping for opening the inlet to admit fiuid to the pump chamber.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein several embodiments of the invention are illustrated, by way of sample. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for illustration purposes only and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view diagrammatically illustrating a pump made in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view diagrammatically illustrating a modified pump, and,

FIGURE 3 is a schematic illustration of the pump of FIGURE 1 connected in circuit for operation.

Referring now to the drawings, and specifically to FIG- URE 1, a pump made in accordance with the present invention has a chamber casing and a valve end casing 20 providing a pump housing. Chamber casing 10 is of conical configuration providing an annular wall 11 which defines a pump chamber 13 therein that is closed at one end by a Wall 12. A pair of electrodes 14 are provided with tips that are in face to face spaced relation to one another within the pump chamber 13 thus forming a spark gap 18 therebetween. The electrodes 14 are mounted in insulators 15 which extend through openings 16 and the wall 11 and, for adjustment, may have threaded shanks as shown which engage the insulators 15 and are locked in place by nuts 17.

The other end of the chamber casing 10 opposite from the end wall 12 may be threaded or otherwise formed to sealingly engage and hold the valve end casing 20 which provides a wall portion 21 to close that end of the pump chamber 13. The valve end casing 26 has an annular inlet chamber 22 in communication with a pump inlet 23 adapted to be connected to a source of liquid, provided with a low head, to be pumped. A series of passages 24 through the end wall portion 21 of the valve end casing 20 connect the annular chamber 22 to the pump chamber 13 and are normally closed by reeds 26 of an inlet valve plate 25 connected to the valve end casing 20 by screws 28, or other such similar conventional means well known in the art. Inlet valve plate 25 has a central opening 27 in alinement with a centrally disposed passage 29 in the end wall portion 21, and together connect the pump chamber to an outlet valve chamber 30. Opening 29 is normally closed by a ball check 31 that is biased to a closing position by a spring 32. The outer end of the valve end casing 20 may also be threaded to receive and sealingly retain a plug 33 which has a passage 34 forming the pump outlet. Plug 33 also provides a seat for the biasing spring 32.

In operation, with chamber 13 substantially filled with liquid to be pumped, a spark between the electrodes 14, across gap 18, will cause the liquid to expand and overcome the force of spring 32, thus discharging pressure fluid through the openings 27 and 29 into the outlet valve chamber 30, and thence through the pump outlet 34. While the reeds 26 of inlet valve plate 25 normally close the inlet passages 24, the rise of pressure of the liquid in pump chamber 13 further tends to seal the inlet passages.

When the effects of the spark across the gap 18 dissipates, the chamber 13 will be under a partial vacuum suffiicient to draw liquid through the pump inlet 23, which should have a positive head, the annular chamber 22, and the passages 24. This pressure differential across the inlet valve plate 25 is suificient to urge the reeds 26 away from the wall portion 21 to open the passages 24 and provide inlet flow to the pump chamber 13. With the pump chamber 13 again substantially filled with liquid, and the pressure across the valve plate 25 equalized, reeds 26 again will proceed to .close passages 24. A subsequent spark across gap 18 will again cause expansion of the liquid in the pump chamber 13 to derive further discharge.

It is not necessary in all cases to completely fill the pump chamber 13 with liquid, however, the electrodes 14 should be fully submersed in the liquid for efficient operation. In some instances entrapped air in the pump chamber 13 may be desirable to act as an air spring which would then tend to reduce pulsations of the discharge fiuid. Although the pump shown in FIGURE 1 provides an inlet and outlet at a common .end, a pump made in accordance with the present invention as shown in FIGURE 2 may provide axial flow therethrough. As shown in the drawings, the modified pump has a chamber casing with an annular wall 4-1 defining a pump cham- \ber 43 therein closed at one end by a .wall 42. A pair of electrodes 44 are provided, similar to the electrodes 14 of FIGURE 1, which are supported in insulators 45 extending through openings 46 in the annular wall 41. Lock nuts 47 are also provided to act as do the lock nuts 17 of FIGURE 1. An inlet end cap 50 is connected to the chamber casing 49 by bolts, as shown or by any other conventional means, and has a pump inlet 51 adapted to be connected to a source of pressure fluid. A ball check 52 is provided to close the pump inlet 51 and is biased to its closing position by a spring 53 that abuts a seat provided by a spider 54 within the pump chamber 43. I

End wall 42 has a central outlet opening 49 which connects the pump chamber 43 to an outlet of chamber 55 in the end of chamber casing 40 opposite from inlet end cap 50. Another ball check 53 is provided for closing the outlet passage 49 and is biased by a spring 57 to its closing position. A second spider 58 provides a seat for the spring 57.

An outlet end cap 60 is connected to the chamber casing 40, in a manner similar to the connection of the inlet end cap 50, and has an outlet'passage 61 for the pressure fiuid being pumped.

In operation, with pump chamber 43 substantially filled with liquid, a spark between the electrodes 44, across a spark gap 48 formed therebetween, causes the liquid to expand. The force of expansion overcomes the bias of spring 57 thus urging the ball check 56 off of its seat for opening passage 49 to provide discharge flow of pressure fluid through the outlet valve chamber 55 and, thence, the pump outlet 61. Again, the force of expansion of the fluid in pump chamber 43 acts on ball check 52 to further seal the inlet 51'. When the elfects of a spark across gap 48 terminates and pressure fluid has finally been discharged, spring 57 will again urge ball check 56 onto its seat closing the outlet passage 49. Similar to the action of the pump of FIGURE 1, the pressure difierential across the inlet valve will overcome the bias of spring 53 thus, urging ball 52 from its seat and providing inlet flow of fluid through the pump inlet 51 to the pump chamber 43. With the pump chamber 43 substantially filled and the pressure diiferem tial across the inlet ball check 52 being equalized, spring 53 will again urge ball 52 to its closing position. A subsequent spark across the gap 48 will again cause expansion of the liquid in the chamber 43 thus providing pressure fluid discharge as previously described.

FIGURE 3 diagrammatically illustrates means for connecting the pump of FIGURE 1 to a source of electrical energy. As shown, the two electrodes 14 are connected to a source of high voltage 62 by lines 65 and 66. A switch 67 may be disposed in one of the lines, in this instance being line 66. By controlling the opening and closing of switch 67 voltage flow may be controlled to the electrodes 14 to control sparking within the chamber casing 10.

The source of electrical energy 62 may be a storage bank, suchas an RC complex which is well known in the art, connected to an A.C. source by leads 63 and 64. It should also be understood that switch 67 may be omitted from the circuit and sparking controlled by adjusting the gap 18 between the electrodes 14 and the rate of charge build-up suflicient to jump the gap as required. Still another control means (not shown) is to provide a variable primary or control gap in one of the lines 65 and 66. In this manner, the variable gap (not shown) controls voltage flow by requiring a higher charge than does gap 18. It should be realized that the resistance of the liquid to be pumped must be considered.

By the foregoing, it should be understood that a pump having a valved inlet and a valved outlet, is provided with a pair of spaced electrodes forming a spark gap submerged in liquid to be pumped. A controlled spark across the formed gap causes expansion of'liquid within the pump chamber which overcomes the outlet valve to provide pump discharge. By terminating the spark and after discharge is complete, the discharge valve closes and the pressure differential across the inlet valve causes it to open to again fill the pump chamber with liquid. Although several embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it is expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes may also be made in the design and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A pump comprising:

(a) a housing defining a conical pump chamber with an inlet adapted to receive liquid to be pumped and an outlet for pumped liquid at the larger end of the pump chamber;

(11) a pair of electrodes supported by the housing having tips within the chamber in spaced relation to one another for forming a gap to be jumped by a spark for pumping;

(c) the pair of electrodes being adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy to provide a spark;

(d) check valve means disposed in the housing being biased to normally close the inlet and outlet; and

(e) the check valve means being responsive to the reaction of a spark across the formed gap for opening the outlet to pass pumped liquid and to a pressure differential between the inlet and the pump chamber for opening the inlet after pumping to admit liquid to be pumped to the pump chamber.

2. A pump comprising:

(a) a housing defining a pump chamber with an inlet adapted to receive liquid to be pumped and an outlet for pumped liquid;

(12) the pump chamber consisting of a conical wall that is largerat its one end closer to the outlet than its other end;

(c) a pair of insulators extending through the housing and being supported thereby;

(d) a pair of electrodes each extending through one of the insulators and being supported thereby;

(e) the electrodes having tips within the pump chamber in spaced relation to one another for forming a gap to be jumped by a spark for pumping and being adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy to provide a spark;

(1) check valve means disposed in the housing being biased to normally close the inlet and outlet; and

(g) the check valve'means being responsive to the reaction of a spark across the formed gap for opening the outlet to pass pumped liquid and to a pressure differential between the inlet and the pump chamber for opening the inlet after pumping to admit liquid to be pumped to the pump chamber;

3. A pump comprising:

(a) a housing defining a pump chamber with an inlet adapted to receive liquid to be pumped and an outlet for pumped liquid;

(b) the pump chamber consisting of a conical wall that is larger at its one end closer to the outlet than its other end;

(c) a pair of electrodes supported by thehousing having tips within the chamber in spaced relation to one another for forming a gap to he jumped by a spark for pumping;

(d) the pair of electrodes being adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy to provide a spark;

(e) a check valve disposed in the housing being biased to normally close the outlet and being responsive to the reaction of the spark for opening the outlet to pass pumped liquid therethrough; and 7 (f) another check valve disposed in the housing being biased to normally close the inlet and being responsive to pressure diiferential between the inlet and the pump chamber. for opening the inlet after pumping to admit liquid to be pumped to the pump chamber.

4. A pump comprising:

(a) a housing defining a pump chamber with an inlet adapted to receive liquid to be pumped and an outlet for pumped liquid;

its other end;

(c) a pair of insulators extending through the housing and being supported thereby;

(d) a pair of electrodes each extending through one of the insulators and being supported thereby;

(e) the electrodes having tips within the pump chamber in spaced relation to one another for forming a gap to be jumped by a spark for pumping and being adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy to provide a spark;

(f) a check valve disposed in the housing being biased to normally close the outlet and being responsive to the reaction of the spark for opening the outlet to pass pumped liquid therethrough; and

(g) another check valve disposed in the housing being biased to normally close the inlet and being responsive to pressure differential between the inlet and the pump chamber for opening the inlet after pumping to admit liquid to be pumped to the pump chamber.

5. A pump comprising:

(a) a housing defining a pump chamber With an inlet at one end thereof adapted to receive liquid to be pumped and an outlet at the same end as the inlet for pumped liquid; I

(b) the pump chamber having a conical wall that is larger at its one end closer to the outlet than its other end; a

(c) a pair of insulators extending through the housing and being supported thereby;

(d) a pair of electrodes each extending through one of the insulators and being supported thereby;

(e) the electrodes having tips within the pump chamber in spaced relation to one another for forming a gap to be jumped by a spark for pumping and being adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy to provide a spark;

(f) a check valve disposed in the housing being biased to normally close the outlet and being responsive to the reaction of the spark for opening the outlet to pass pumped liquid therethrough; and

(g) another check valve disposed in the housing being biased to normally close the inlet and being responsive to pressure differential between the inlet and the pump chamber for opening the inlet after pumping to admit liquid to be pumped to the pump chamber.

6. A pump comprising:

(a) a housing defining a pump chamber with an inlet at one end thereof adapted to receive liquid to be pumped and an outlet at the end opposite from the inlet for pumped liquid;

(b) the pump chamber consisting of a conical wall that is larger at its one end closer to the outlet than its other end; i

(c) a pair of insulators extending through the housing and being supported thereby;

(d) a pair of electrodes each extending through one of the insulators and being supported thereby;

(e) the electrodes having tips within the pump chamber in spaced relation to one another for forming a gap to be jumped by a spark for pumping and being adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy to provide a spark;

(f) a check valve disposed in the housing being biased to normally close the outlet and being responsive to the reaction of the spark for opening the outlet to pass pumped liquid therethrough; and

g) another check valve disposed in the housing being biased to normally close the inlet and being responsive to pressure differential between the inlet and the pump chamber for opening the inlet after pumping to admit liquid to be pumped to the pump chamher.

7. A pump comprising:

(a) a housing defining a pump chamber with an inlet 6 adapted to receive liquid to be pumped and an outlet for pumped liquid;

(52) the pump chamber consisting of a conical wall that is larger at its one end closer to the outlet than its other end;

(c) a pair of insulators extending through the housing and being supported thereby;

(d) a pair of electrodes supported by the insulators and being adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy to provide a spark;

(e) the electrodes having tips within the pump chambeer in spaced relation to one another for forming a gap to he jumped by a spark, and each being movable relative to its supporting insulator and the'other electrode to adjust the gap formed between the spaced tips;

(1) a check valve disposed in the housing being biased to normally close the outlet and being responsive to the reaction of the spark for opening the outlet to pass pumped liquid therethrough; and

(g) another check valve disposed in the housing being biased to normally close the inlet and being responsive to pressure dilferential between the inlet and the pump chamber for opening the inlet after pumping to admit liquid to be pumped to the pump chamber.

8. A pump comprising: 7 i t (a) a first casing having an annular wall defining a conical pump chamber and an end wall for closing one end of the chamber;

(b) a pair of insulators extending through the annular Wall and supported thereby;

(c) a pair of electrodes supported by the insulators being adapted to receive electrical energy for providing a spark to jump a gap through the liquid to be pumped;

(d) the pair of electrodes having tips within the pump chamber in spaced relation to one another to provide a spark gap therebetween;

(e) a second casing connected to the first casing and providing a wall portion closing the end of the pump chamber opposite from the end wall of the first casing;

(f) the second casing having an inlet adapted to receive liquid to be pumped and an outlet for pumped liquid each extending through the wall portion and in communication with the pump chamber;

g) a pair of check valves operatively associated with the second casing being biased to normally close the inlet and outlet;

(it) one of the pair of check valves being responsive to the reaction to a spark for opening the outlet to pass pumped liquid; and

(i) the other of the pair of check valves being responsive to pressure ditlerentialbetween the inlet and the pump chamber for opening the inlet after pumping to admit liquid to be pumped to the pump chamber.

9. The pump in accordance with claim 8, wherein the inlet comprises:

(a) an annular chamber encircles the outlet; and

(b) a plurality of ports extending through the wall portion of the second casing providing communication between the annular chamber and the pump chamber.

10. The pump in accordance with claim 9, wherein:

(a) the other of the pair of check valves is a plate connected to the wall portion of the second casing within the pump chamber and provided with a plurality of reeds disposed in series around its periphery each overlying and normally closing one of the plurality of ports to flow between the annular chamber and the pump chamber.

11. A pump comprising:

(a) a first casing defining a pump chamber open at one end and having an end wall for closing the other end of the chamber;

(b) the pump chamber having a conical wall that is larger at its one end closer to the open end of the chamber than its other end;

() a pair of insulators extending through the first casing and supported thereby;

(d) a pair of electrodes supported by the insulators being adapted to receive electrical energy for providing a spark to jump a gap through the liquid to be pumped;

(e) the pair of electrodes having tips within the pump chamber in spaced relation to one another to provide a spark gap therebetween;

(f) a second casing connected to the first casing and providing a wall portion closing the end of the pump chamber opposite from the end wall of the first casing;

(g) the second casing having an inlet" adapted to receive liquid to be pumped and an outlet for pumped liquid each extending through the wall portion and being in communication with the pump chamber;

(11) a pair of check valves operatively associated with the second casing being biased to normally close the inlet and outlet;

(i) one of the pair of check valves being responsive to the reaction to a spark for opening the outlet to pass pumped liquid; and

(j) the other of the pair of check valves being responsive to pressure differential between the inlet and the pump chamber for opening the inlet after 8 pumping to admit liquid to be pumped to the pump chamber.

12. The pump in accordance with claim 11, wherein the inlet comprises:

(a) an annular chamber encircles the outlet; and

(b) a plurality of ports extending through the wall 1 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,719,572 7/29 Stoll 230-431 1,871,285 8/32 Tursky 230-231 3,014,428 12/ 61 Kimberly 103-255 3,103,783 9/63 Smith 103-1 3,106,169 10/63 Prosser et al. 230--231 3,114,326 12/63 Yaindl 103-230 3,141,296 7/64 Jacobs 103--1 LAURENCE V. EFNER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PUMP COMPRISING: (A) A HOUSING DEFINING A CONICAL PUMP CHAMBER WITH AN INLET ADAPTED TO RECEIVE LIQUID TO BE PUMPED AND AN OUTLET FOR PUMPED LIQUID AT THE LARGER END OF THE PUMP CHAMBER; (B) A PAIR OF ELECTRODES SUPPORTED BY THE HOUSING HAVING TIPS WITHIN THE CHAMBER IN SPACED RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER FOR FORMING A GAP TO BE JUMPED BY A SPARK FOR PUMPING; (C) THE PAIR OF ELECTRODES BEING ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO PROVIDE A SPARK; (D) CHECK VALVE MEANS DISPOSED IN THE HOUSING BEING BIASED TO NORMALLY CLOSE THE INLET AND OUTLET; AND (E) THE CHECK VALVE MEANS BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE REACTION OF A SPARK ACROSS THE FORMED GAP FOR OPENING THE OUTLET TO PASS PUMPED LIQUID AND TO A PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE INLET AND THE PUMP CHAMBER FOR OPENING THE INLET AFTER PUMPING TO ADMIT LIQUID TO EB PUMPED TO THE PUMP CHAMBER. 